116874: It is not prescribed to do a single prostration for the sake of du’aa’

Some people, when they want to offer du’aa’ after praying, prostrate and offer du’aa’ whilst prostrating. Is this prostration Sunnah?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Islam does not prescribe drawing close to Allaah by means of
prostration unless the prostration is in the prayer (salaah) or for a
specific reason, such as prostration of forgetfulness (sujood al-sahw, if a
mistake is made in the prayer), or prostration of recitation (sujood
al-tilaawah, required when reading certain verses of the Qur’aan), or the
prostration of gratitude (sujood al-shukr).

As for prostration for the sake of du’aa’, there is nothing
in sharee’ah to indicate that it is permissible or mustahabb. Rather what is
proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) in many
mutawaatir hadeeths is that he used to raise his hands in du’aa’, and he
encouraged others to do so. He said: “Your Lord, may He be blessed and
exalted, is characterized by modesty and generosity, and He is so Kind to
His slave that, if His slave raises his hands to Him, He does not let him
take them back empty.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (1488); classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

So prostrating for the sake of du’aa’ is an innovation,
because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) did not do
it, and because it is forsaking the Sunnah that the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allaah be upon him) encouraged, which is raising the hands in du’aa’.

These scholars denounced this single prostration and forbade
it. It was mentioned by Abu Shaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his
book al-Baa’ith ‘ala Inkaar al-Bida’ wa’l-Hawaadith (p. 62, 63) and
he said: Imam al-Haramayn Abu’l-Ma’aali said: The author of al-Taqreeb
mentioned from some of his companions that if a man submits to Allaah and
prostrates for no reason, he may do that, and I have not seen this except
with him. My Shaykh regarded that as makrooh, and objected strongly to
anyone who did that. He said: this is my view.

Abu Haamid al-Ghazali said: Shaykh Abu Muhammad (may Allaah
have mercy on him) objected strongly to the one who did that, and this is
the correct view. He said in Kitaab al-Nadhr: No one was of the view
that prostration on its own becomes obligatory if one makes a vow to do
that, because it is not an act of worship for which there is a reason, such
as recitation (i.e., prostration of recitation).

Imam al-Haramayn said: My Shaykh was of the definite opinion
that prostration on its own does not become obligatory if one makes a vow to
do that, even though the reciter of the Qur’aan may prostrate, but
prostration on its own for no reason is not an act of worship according to
the correct view.

The author of al-Tatimmah said: Some people have the
habit of prostrating after they finish the prayer and saying du’aa’ whilst
doing so. He said: We know of no basis for this prostration and it was not
narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon
him) or from his Companions. It is better to offer du’aa’ during the prayer,
because of the reports that have been narrated concerning that. And Allaah
knows best.

I (Abu Shaamah) say: The fact that prostration is an act of
worship within prayer does not necessarily mean that it is an act of worship
outside of prayer, like bowing. Al-Faqeeh Abu Muhammad said: Islam does not
say that one may draw close to Allaah by doing a single prostration for
which there is no reason. End quote.